Rainbow Sign

For the Berkeley-based cultural center, see The Rainbow Sign.

Rainbow Sign
A photo of Miles playing cornet that is covered in splashes of color
Studio album by
Ron Miles
ReleasedOctober 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
Recorded2019
Studio
  • Mighty Fine, Denver, Colorado, US
  • Sear Sound, New York City, New York, US
Genre
Length69:50
LanguageInstrumental
LabelBlue Note
Producer
  • Colin Bricker
  • Ron Miles
Ron Miles chronology
I Am a Man
(2017) 		Rainbow Sign
(2020)

Rainbow Sign is a studio album containing original compositions by American jazz musician Ron Miles on the label Blue Note Records. Released on October 9, 2020 to positive critical reviews, it is Miles' final studio album, coming two years prior to his death in March 2022.

Recording

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The album was recorded in mid-2018 during a period when Miles was caring for his dying father. The sessions reunited him with the musicians who played on his previous album I Am a Man, including longtime collaborator Bill Frisell on guitar and drummer Brian Blade.[1][2]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz[3]
AllMusic[1]
DownBeat[4]
Financial Times[5]
Jazz Journal[6]
Jazzwise[7]
PopMatters8⁄10[8]
The Times[9]

The editorial staff of AllMusic Guide gave the album four out of five stars, with reviewer Thom Jurek noting how Miles blends "polytonal modal music, blues, gospel, post-bop, and pop".[1] The site also included it in the best jazz albums of 2020.[10] Kevin Whitehead of Fresh Air praises the dream-like quality of the musicians and their ability to work together to realize Miles' music and he notes the influence of pop music.[2] In The Times, Chris Pearson gave the album four out of five stars, also pointing out the interplay of the musicians.[9] Writing in Financial Times, Mike Hobart also scored Rainbow Sign four out of five stars for the "clean lines, close-knit interplay and an understated pulse" on the album.[5]

Track listing

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All songs written by Ron Miles

  1. "Like Those Who Dream" – 15:56
  2. "Queen of the South" – 4:20
  3. "Average" – 11:12
  4. "Rainbow Sign" – 7:08
  5. "The Rumor" – 4:30
  6. "Custodian of the New" – 7:49
  7. "This Old Man" – 6:57
  8. "Binder" – 6:01
  9. "A Kind Word" – 5:57

Personnel

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Technical personnel

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Jurek, Thom (n.d.). "Ron Miles – Rainbow Sign". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  2. ^ a b c Whitehead, Kevin (November 4, 2020). "Cornet Player Ron Miles Embraces His Pop Influences on Rainbow Sign". Fresh Air. NPR. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  3. ^ Rauch, Paul (5 January 2021). "Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  4. ^ Considine, J.D. "Ron Miles Rainbow Sign (Blue Note)". DownBeat. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b Hobart, Mike (October 16, 2020). "Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign – Gently Undulating Jazz Soundscapes". Financial Times. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  6. ^ Atkins, Ronald (9 February 2021). "Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign". Jazz Journal. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  7. ^ Hasted, Nick. "Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign". Jazzwise. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  8. ^ Layman, Will (12 November 2020). "Ron Miles' 'Rainbow Sign' Is Quietly Fantastic, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b Pearson, Chris (October 9, 2020). "Ron Miles: Rainbow Sign Review – Trumpeter Explores Renewal and Resistance with a Starry Quintet". The Times. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  10. ^ "Favorite Jazz Albums". AllMusic 2020 in Review. AllMusic. RhythmOne. n.d. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
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